The Rotary Scholars program grew from a desire for the organization to engage with young people who wanted to attend college, but couldn’t qualify for a loan. A steering committee studied early Promise programs and was able to craft a program that could reach every local student and, now, Hopkinsville students — any graduate of Christian County High School, Hopkinsville High School, Heritage Christian Academy or University Heights Academy — can pursue college if they meet standards of grades, attendance, behavior and responsibility.

Students who meet the criteria will be eligible to receive a scholarship up to the full amount required to pay for four consecutive semesters of tuition at Hopkinsville Community College. Federal PELL scholarships and Kentucky KEES scholarships will be applied prior to the Rotary Scholars award, which will be determined as a “last aid.”

In addition to requirements of grades, attendance, behavior and federal aid application, each student must enroll in and successfully complete a tuition-waived Orientation to College course at Hopkinsville Community College.